Taking a Risk
by LovelyNocturna
Summary: Chance was a game of risk, a game that was addictive to most, a game that always caused the one who was a bit too cocky to lose. People who got too cocky end up doing the stupidest things like losing the person they love and not realizing it till they come face to face with reality.


**A/N: Welp, this is my first story featuring Noerah! This is actually a gift for my friend. She always wanted me to write a Noerah one-shot and as much as I wanted to... I never had a good idea to go with it. Until now. Its based of the world Serendipity and is my take on the actions of Snow that not only affects Serah, but Noel as well. I'm sorry if it's not so good-this story was way too depressing I'm my eyes and the gloomy atmosphere in my room was messing with my mind and I may have made the story seem odd in one place. If you guys don't think so, that's all that matters. **

**I hope you enjoy this pretty lame (McKensy will kill me for saying that) story. Maybe I'll write more Noerah stuff in the future if you guys like it. _I don't own Final Fantasy XIII-2_**

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A low tune played out from the slot machine in the casino with the rest of the many other slot machines.

"Dammit…!" Noel's eyebrows furrowed, he hit the slot machine with the side of his that was in the form of a fist. His other hand was searching in his pocket for more coins and sliding a few more into machine.

"Noel, I thought I told you that while we're here don't get addicted to gambling." Serah said in a stern voice scolding the younger boy. She stood by his side for all the hours he had been sitting in a chair with his eyes glued to icons spinning non-stop. "You haven't won once! If you keep on doing this, we will be out of Gil!"

Then he pushed down the lever and all three wheels stopped. He had lost again.

"Ugh!" His hand reaching back into his pocket again, however Serah took ahold of his arm.

"Noel have you heard a word I've said? My Goddess, Noel sometimes you can be a block head like Snow and not hear a word I say." As quick as she took hold of his arm she just as quickly let go. Noel had snapped out of something because of her words and all he could feel was anger. He was angry with himself. Angry that he got himself related to that hot-head fiancé of hers, in no way was he anything like him.

"You could probably gamble away everything you love and own." Serah mumbled to herself and sat down in the chair of the slot machine beside of him, refusing to pay him mind; looking in any other direction that didn't involve her looking at him. The sound of the lever getting pushed down and the slots beginning to spin made her stomach boil—were her words not enough to make him stop? She had opened her mouth to yell at him, Noel had beaten her to it.

"Serah I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, but I'm not some block head like that bastard fiancé of yours. And—" She kept her back to him, pain starting to fill her heart. Memories of Snow were only 25% of that pain. The other 75% were feelings she couldn't completely grasp just yet. "The only one gambles away everything they love and own is that very same man you call your hero." As Noel continued, those feelings continued to make more and more sense to her. "See if that 'hero' was smart enough to know that gambling on you could possibly lose you, do you think you would be here right now? Leaving you to fall and me being the one to always catch you and ask 'are you okay?'" His words hurt her but it had all made perfect sense.

Tears had slowly started to pour from her eyes. Memories of the time she spent with Snow back before she turned into crystal after completing her focus, before she was branded as a l'Cie, before she had even fallen in love with him at the bar in New Bodhum, Cocoon. They were just acquaintances in a local bar and nothing more back then and that was her favorite memory of them together because it was the night they met. But after what she's been told all she can think of it as in Snow's eyes is gambling money. That was like being a prostitute, used for a fun time not a long-term relationship. Their memories were just something to gamble on and to Snow, he didn't think twice until he met face to face with a loss.

"Serah it's as if Snow was gambling over you with me—someone who had nothing left in the world to love. I was the poor peasant of the kingdom having to sit out in the cold, winter nights begging for something warm and being overshadowed by the rich, spoiled millionaire who had everything." She looked over her shoulder at Noel. The slot machine's wheels were still spinning. His grip on the lever had loosened somewhat. His eyes seemed to be no longer attracted to bright screen of the icons spinning, but instead to his feet. "He was the man who pretended to take pity on me and challenged me to a game of chance. The smirk on his face was enough to spell out how confident he was, but he even gambled all his memories of his time with his fiancée—you, Serah." She hated how the images of the story became detailed in her mind, every picture pained her. It made her cry more.

"It was a cocky move, but Snow is always being cocky. I see it as an unwise move to gamble the ones you love, no matter how confident you're going to win." Serah's eyes stared at his hand; it became tightened once more around the lever. "Then his confident smirk turned into a mouth that was left ajar and his face was covered in disbelief." Noel than pulled the lever down and only seconds later did the slot machine respond.

_DING DING DING DING_

_WINNER! WINNER!_

Coins spewed out everywhere either on the floor or in Noel's lap till about 4 seconds passed and the tsunami of tokens finally died down.

"He was the fool that let his confidence get the best of him. I didn't take his money, jewelry, or his luxury clothing. I took what he loved most, a girl that I almost lost today if she hadn't have woken me up." Her eyes widened and she smiled sadly. Noel was right about Snow and confidence getting the best of him. That damned confidence of his nearly got him killed in the Sunleth Waterscape. But then she thought of the words he had just said. Was he speaking of her?

"Me?" It had been so long since she had spoken in their conversation, she almost forgot she had a voice at all. Noel nodded.

"If you hadn't stopped me…" He hated to say this, it was a nightmare he was glad she woke him up before it even had the chance to start. He gulped. "I'd end up like that douche, feeling empty without that one special person in my life." Serah's sad smile became less sad and becoming happier with every word Noel said.

"Maybe my childhood fantasy actually did come true. It just took two tries to get it right." She whispered quietly, her and Noel only the one's able to hear. "I was like every other young girl; I wanted to be taken away by knight in shining armor. When I first saw Snow, I imagined him in a knight's armor. I guess that's what made me fall for him in the first place. But then… there's you Noel." Noel raised his eyebrow, gold tokens still scattered around him. It would be rude to just start picking up the tokens while she was talking, he'd have to wait till they were done.

"You were there for me since the beginning, protecting me without any order. You even told Snow off about how I felt. It didn't change a thing but it sure did make me feel relieved to have him know what I've felt throughout the years he had left. I wasn't the one who brushed it off my chest but it still helped tons even if I couldn't bring myself to say the words. You're the real knight in armor I wanted when I was a kid, the one I wanted to marry." Noel's eyes shot open wide at word 'marry'. It made his heart race and face become flustered. Noel would never lie that he had grown feelings for 'Meanie Ms. Farron' but, he had never thought passed that—especially not marriage.

"Noel, are you getting a fever?" She walked over to him and put her hand over his forehead. He couldn't believe his face could get any redder. He got a closer look at her face and noticed her tear-stained cheeks. If she was crying, it is his duty that he makes her forget those tears. He shook his head. He then moved it away from her hand and bent down in his seat to pick up the tokens scattered on the floor. Serah only watched him. Noel came back up with his arms crossed over his chest carrying tokens on his arms.

"This should be enough for two." Serah tipped her head to the side out of curiosity.

"What are you mumbling on about?" Noel looked at her a smiled handsomely. She blushed.

"These tokens should be enough to get a table for two and have dinner." The hunter stood from his seat and started walking off. It took Serah a second to snap back to reality and catch up with him. "I'm done gambling. Losing you like that idiot is a risk that isn't worth taking." Serah felt tears welling up once again, but this time tears of happiness. As they walked, Serah leaned her head against his shoulder. She had smile growing wide on her light pink lips.

"I love you, Noel."


End file.
